Florida [US], September 15 (ANI): The United States military on Monday dismissed assertions from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards alleging that an oil tanker collided with a naval mine within the Strait of Hormuz.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the command authority responsible for American military deployments throughout the Middle East, the Panama-registered vessel had previously been targeted by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) last month and sustained a subsequent strike over the weekend.
“IRGC claims a Panama-flagged oil tanker recently struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz. This is FALSE,” CENTCOM wrote on X.
https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2099591186583371830?s=20
“The Panama-flagged oil tanker El Gaia was struck by an Iranian missile last month and rendered inoperable. This weekend, Iran struck the tanker again with a drone while the ship was in waters off the coast of Oman. The tanker is currently being towed by a regional partner,” it added.
CENTCOM further described the IRGC’s “false claim” as “yet another example of their lies and intimidation attempts while they try to impede commercial vessels in the strait”, highlighting ongoing disruptions within the crucial maritime trade route.
Tehran implemented the transit restriction in March in response to joint US-Israeli military strikes executed on February 28, which initiated the current regional conflict.
Before the American statement, Iranian state media outlet Fars News Agency reported, referencing the IRGC, that an oil tanker had hit a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in an explosion and fire onboard. Fars confirmed the vessel involved was the Panama-flagged El Gaia.
The El Gaia corresponds to the vessel subjected to the weekend attack off the Omani coastline. Out of a total crew of 14 Indian nationals, 13 have been rescued, while search operations remain active for one missing Indian crew member. (ANI)
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